


left unspoken, reaching out to you

by CyberPhoenix



Series: THSC Rave Week 2021 [3]
Category: Henry Stickmin Series (Video Games)
Genre: M/M, Pre-Relationship, complicated feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:47:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29173647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CyberPhoenix/pseuds/CyberPhoenix
Summary: Randy's been thinking.Terrence has, too.They come to different conclusions.Rave Week 2021 - Day 3 - Confession + Crying
Relationships: Randy Radman/Terrence Suave
Series: THSC Rave Week 2021 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2137257
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	left unspoken, reaching out to you

The sun had sunk low into the horizon, rays glinting across the cloud as one by one they winked out, relinquishing their hold on the sky to give way to the stars. It was a beautiful sunset, really-- and a peaceful evening, the calm summer breeze just enough to fend off the oppressive August heat. Randy leaned out over the rail of the airship deck, staring into the open air, the world seeming so small down below. A distant past, a life they’d never really known, yet sometimes yearned for. They’d lived nearly their whole life as a Toppat, adopted into the clan and raised to be the best damn thief they could be, but part of them still wished for something different. 

Things were more than perfect in the clan, of course-- they had all the friends and luxuries they could ever ask for, they all were thriving here-- yet something about the idea of living a “normal” life, one where the pressures of death didn’t lurk around every corner, where they could show their face freely on the streets without fear of being hunted down because of their loyalty, it felt so alluring. For someone who worked as part of an elusive group, they sure stuck out like a sore thumb sometimes, and they liked it that way. 

Twirling a lock of their neon hair around one finger, they let out a sigh as the sun’s light finally seemed to disappear. The night was a welcome sight, the mark of the true beginning of the day to them. Pushing themself to stand up straight again, they dusted their hands off, still a little cold from leaning on the metal, and turned to head back inside. What they didn’t expect was to see someone else standing in the doorway, paused midstep as if he’d meant to say something but lost his voice.

“Terrence?” Randy raised an eyebrow, tilting their head. “What, come to fetch me inside, dude?” The other toppat stood silent for a moment, before shaking his head and crossing over to stand next to them. They were a little surprised he was out here, typically they’d see him turn in early to work on one thing or another, complete with a little quip about how “a good night’s rest means a good morning’s work,” or something like that. For as scatterbrained as the guy sometimes got, he sure was dedicated. That was why seeing him around in the evenings-- be it at parties, or just… here, was a rare but welcome delight.

“Uh, no actually, I was,” Terrence seemed to hesitate, “-going to take a look at the sky, that’s all. Didn’t want to bother you when I saw you already out here, though.” He sounded nervous, Randy noted with discomfort. They didn’t like hearing that tone from him, so different from the confidence he showed even when things seemed to all be going belly up. Terrence was usually the guy to keep going with something even if it was the worst idea ever-- and, well, sometimes it was.

“So you just stood there staring? C’mon now, Terry, you’re never a bother to me!” They tried to laugh, to get him to laugh with them, but there was a strange tension in the air. A sudden weight felt like it was pressing on their chest, as if a revelation had just been revealed to them and it seemed impossible to bear. Words threatened to slip from their throat, spurred on by seemingly nothing-- Terrence had just walked in and hadn’t said much, so why did they feel on the verge of tears?

“Right, right, sorry then.” He turned to stare out at the horizon. If Randy’s little internal crisis was at all obvious, Terrence didn’t acknowledge it. “This is a good spot to think about things. Nothing but the sky to hear your thoughts, no one but the clouds to judge ya.” He sounded stilted, almost-- which didn’t help Randy’s nerves in the slightest. “You come here often? Out, out here, I mean.”

“Um, yeah. A lot, actually, the view’s… pretty epic.” Shit, now even their own attempts at lightening the tension were only stumbling over each other. “So, you uh, came out here to think? What about?” They needed a distraction, and fast, to stop their brain from dwelling on what dumb thoughts threatened to spill out through their tears and emotions. 

“Stuff.” Terrence answered unhelpfully, shrugging his shoulders. “Not really that much, just about the future, about what I wanna do with myself-- dare I say, lame stuff.” Randy let out a gasp at that, slapping the shorter man on the shoulder.

“You are _never_ lame! Don’t say stuff like that!” This was a better line of conversation-- they didn’t need to focus on their own feelings, they just needed to focus on unravelling whatever it was Terry was all tied up about! A perfect solution, really-- help a friend, cheer the both of them up through that.

“I know, I know--” Terrence laughed, waving a hand. “But it really was just-- stupid thoughts, y’know how it gets. Honestly, I really like that you were here instead, better to be here with you than to just pretend the sun’s gonna give me all my answers.” 

“Sun can’t tell you anything, it’s already headed to bed. You probably should too, if you’re gonna get all philosophical at the moon, my dude.” Randy leaned back, crossing their arms lightly.

“Oh, so the ‘party all night’ rocker is gonna lecture me about a healthy sleep schedule? Wasn’t it I who found you passed out next to the escape pods that one night?” Terrence laughed, but not in a mocking way-- it was a story that they usually could get a good chuckle out of, but… today Randy felt a strange lump in his throat, recalling that time. “You were gonna just head on out, headed to-- where was it, Malibu?” He shook his head. “What a time, what a time.”

“Y-yeah, what a time.” They echoed quietly, suddenly unable to meet Terrence’s gaze, staring down over the edge. “Funny times.”

“...you know, if something’s up, I’m here to listen.” His voice took on that tone of concern-- the tone that was always half ‘tell me for your sake’ and half ‘tell me for mine’, the kind of worry that they’d seen eat away at the man if left unresolved. Well, too bad. They didn’t really wanna talk about it.

“I know, I know, you’ll be the first to hear if I ever can spit it out. Promise.” They answered half-heartedly, a little exhausted.

“...if it makes it any easier, I can tell you what’s been on my mind? Maybe it’ll make it easier for you to say what’s on yours? No pressure, though.” Randy bit back a scoff hearing Terrence say that-- they did welcome that their friend was willing to be open and vulnerable, even if they weren’t ready just yet, but it stung in a strange way to acknowledge that. Might as well bridge the gap anyways-- holding back what they wanted to say wasn’t gonna make the feelings go away.

“Nah, nah, I’ll… I’ll just tell ya, you’re never gonna stop thinking about it if I don’t-- you read me too well, man.” Randy sighed, grabbing onto the rail and letting himself lean way back, staring up at the night sky. They’d been out here long enough that stars were starting to twinkle high above, little glimmers of light in an endless void. “Promise not to freak out, though?”

“I promise-- believe me, you can say the wildest thing and I won’t be bothered.” There was an unexpected lightness to Terrence’s voice-- he sounded almost hopeful? What the hell could he be hoping for, if he had his suspicions about what they were about to say? It was a selfish thought, one that benefited no one-- there wasn’t any reason for them to voice it other than the fact that it was true. 

“...I kind of want to leave the clan.” They sighed, and apparently Terrence had _no idea_ that that was what they were going to say, judging by his shocked expression and stammering for words.

“You can’t?!” He finally got out, and before Randy could interject that they _knew that_ , they were an important figure as a Right Hand, they couldn’t just abandon things, Terrence continued with, “-I mean, you could. I can’t stop you, and I don’t think anyone else can, but, please don’t?” Well then. Randy relaxed their shoulders to meet Terrence’s eyes that-- to his surprise were nearly brimming with tears. They hadn’t expected to see such a pained expression on the man after what, to them, seemed like a trivial issue.

“I’m not gonna leave, don’t get all sappy over it--” They waved a hand, regretting having said anything and upsetting their friend. “It’s fine!”

“Okay, okay. I just--” He sighed, taking out a handkerchief to dab at the corners of his eyes, looking pretty embarrassed. “I like having you around, a _lot_ , and it’d be… it’d be really boring if you left, I guess.” Terrence sounded a little choked up, as if there was more he wanted to say, but Randy decided not to pry.

“Sorry for ruining your night, bro.” They murmured, holding their arms out. “Wanna hug it out?”

“Hug it out? Randy, you just--” Terrence looked irritated for a moment, but sighed and relented. “Fine. But we are talking this out at some point, even if not tonight. You can tell me about this stuff, I’ll… try to understand.” With that, Terrence accepted the hug, wrapping his arms around their taller frame as Randy patted his back.

“Sure, but…” Randy hesitated to finish the sentence, “-you gotta tell me whatever it is you mentioned earlier, after.”

“...yeah, I guess I can.” Terrence mumbled, lingering just a bit longer in the embrace. There was a warmth to his voice that Randy hadn't expected-- but it was nice to hear.

Maybe this was a reason to stick around, above all else.


End file.
